Tutorial: Importing Height Maps and Mega-Terrain from World Machine

Transcription

1 Tutorial: Importing Height Maps and Mega-Terrain from World Machine In this tutorial you will learn how to quickly create a new terrain, using World Machine to generate a Height Map, and Mega-Terrain texture. In the end you will have a great looking game level that you created in just a few mins. You will learn how to do the following: Create a height map, and mega terrain texture in World Machine. Set up a new terrain level in lumberyard. Import and apply the height map. Import and apply the Mega Terrain Texture. Prerequisites For the sake of this tutorial we will be using the free version of World machine, and one free Macro. The free version of world machine can be downloaded here. The macro we will be using is called Extended Overlay, and it can be downloaded here Once you have installed world machine, you need to move the Macro into the Macros folder in the world machine program files. You must have the following before starting this tutorial: World Machine installed Watch the World Machine Basics tutorial. The Extended Overlay Macro installed. Completed the Terrain Basics tutorials.

2 Step 1: Working In World Machine The first step in the tutorial is to set up our terrain size in world machine. To set up world machine we will use these settings. 1. Open up world machine, and set your scene size. Go to >Project Settings, The trial version of World Machine only lets us make a 512x 512 map. Make sure you uncheck the +1 button.

3 2. Next add an erosion device. This device is under the natural tab. Once selected the device will stick to your cursor, Hover over the wire between the terrace device, and the output device, and left click to drop the erosion device there. Right click to deselect the erosion device.

4 3. Next apply the Extended Overlay Macro. This can be done through the macro tab in the top navigation bar. Once you load the Macro, the extended overlay device will appear on your curser. Left click in the red output box to drop the device. Then Right click to deselect the the overlay macro device.

5 4. Next we will add two more output devices to generate our maps. You will want to add an Overlay View device, and a Bitmap Output device to the Output section.

6 5. Now the world machine devices are ready to be wired together. a) The Primary Height Field output of the Erosion device goes to the Default Height Field on the Extended Overlay device. b) The Flow map output on the Erosion Device goes to the flow map input on the Extended Overlay Device. c) The Height Field of the Erosion Device output goes to the Height Field input of the Overlay View device. d) The Bitmap output goes to the both the overlay input on the Overlay View Device, and to the RGB input of the Bitmap Output device. Now we are all wired up and ready to generate maps.

7 6. Finally we are ready to setting up the outputs, and generate our maps. You should see three outputs, but we will only be generating output from two of these. The Height output device will give us the Height Map, and the Bitmap Overlay will give us the mega texture. a) For the height map generation, double click on the Height Output device. b) Select BMP as your file option. c) Click the Set button to choose a location to save your map. d) Finally click the Write Output to disk button to generate your map. a) For the Mega-Terrain, Double click on the Bitmap Output Device. b) Again select BMP as the file type. c) To change the save location here, we need to click the Specify Output File. d) Then click the Write output to disk.

8 Step 2: Applying the World Machine Height Map in Lumberyard Now we will be moving over to the Lumberyard Editor to apply these maps, and we will be able to see the start of our level coming together. 1. Open up a new Lumberyard level. You will need to set this level to be 512x512, or match the resolution that you generated your maps in from world machine.

9 2. Next open up the Terrain editor, and set the max world height, World Machine only supports 256 height at this time. Go to Modify> Set terrain max height, and set it to 256.

10 3. The next step is to import the height map. With the terrain editor still open, go to File>import height map, and navigate to the files you saved from world machine.

11 At this point you should see the terrain in your engine has changed to match the terrain height variance you created in world machine, however, it is set up with a default texture at this point. We will use a mega-terrain texture to add some color to the terrain.

12 Step 3: Applying the Mega-Terrain Texture in Lumberyard This step in the tutorial will show you how to set up the mega-terrain texture we made earlier in world machine. 1. Click on Terrain>export import mega-terrain texture. 2. Select all the tiles (if you made the map size 512, there will one be one tile) 3. Finally click the import button.

13 Congratulations! In just a few minutes time, you have made a new terrain, applied a height map, and given it a mega-terrain texture. Related Tasks and Tutorials Now that you have a detailed terrain piece, see what else you can add to your game: Terrain Basics. Creating Terrain. Setting up Splat Maps. Want to learn more about Lumberyard? Visit the complete Lumberyard Tutorials Page. We would love to hear from you! Head to our Tutorial Discussion forum to share any feedback you have, including what you do or do not like about our tutorials or new content you would like to see in the near future.